After seven months of hiatus due to the health crisis, the French internationals returned to CNR Marcoussis on Monday to prepare for the reception of the Welsh, Saturday (9:10 p.m.) at the Stade de France.
Less than a week to rediscover the automatisms and good dispositions seen during the last Six Nations Tournament.
“We ended up with so much joy.
I felt players happy to live and to embark on this international period which awaits us ”, declared at the microphone of
RMC
the French manager, Raphaël Ibanez.
After an endless showdown between the League and the Federation, the Top 14 clubs have accepted that the XV of France has six meetings this fall.
In exchange, each selected international will not be able to play more than three matches.
Which did not pollute the atmosphere of the reunion, if we are to believe Ibanez.
“Through our speech, we did not really try to come back to this episode.
We are focused on the athlete.
We are in a lightning week of preparation, so in this type of express approach for an international match, we must very quickly refocus with great precision on the tactical approach, the strategy, the combinations.
"
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The XV of France will play six tests this fall
The manager of the Blues nevertheless concedes that "it was a rather heavy political time for all of the technical staff, in the preparation of the matches" and that the agreement found is "probably the least bad solution for the XV of France ".
“We have rules of the game, we know them.
Now, we are mobilizing for this first meeting against Wales.
With the feeling of finally being together with the players of the XV of France, who are all happy to play for the national team.
We had the feeling this morning (Monday) to find a family resemblance, our family, there was a lot of joy ”, he confides.
"It was a rather heavy period. We ended up with the least bad solution for the XV of France"
Raphaël Ibañez, manager of the France team, returns to the way out of the crisis between the LNR and the FFR and evokes the matches who will be privileged by the staff # RMCLivepic.twitter.com / gYffWvCWKs
- Super Moscato Show (@Moscato_Show) October 19, 2020
By not being able to line up each player for only three matches, the staff of the Blues will have to juggle and "show adaptation": "It will be necessary to be extremely agile in the team compositions, in the approach of the various matches, according to adversaries.
We will necessarily have to adapt, but we must also manage to transform this delicate situation into an opportunity.
It is a real opportunity for the players who would be brought to join the XV of France in the coming weeks to go up, to prove that they can embody the national team, which was the strength of this team during the Tournament of six. nations this winter.
"It is up to the group, according to him, to find" a state of mind and a real dynamic.
It's as if the players were passing the baton to each other, over the course of these seven weeks and these six matches that await us.
"
"Favor continuity"
This first meeting against the XV du Leek will serve as a rehearsal, an appetizer before challenging Ireland next week for the last day of the 2020 Tournament. Mathematically, even if it seems very complicated, France - which has three victories (England, Wales, Italy) and a loss in Scotland - can still win this edition.
The game against Ireland, “it's our priority in the progression of this group.
With this possibility of still giving oneself the right to win the Tournament, explained Raphaël Ibanez on
RMC
.
Of course, the English will go and challenge the Italians.
We'll see what comes out of it.
On our side, we have already faced the Welsh who will be hot, because we caused them some little misery this winter on their soil (French victory in Cardiff 23-27).
It's still a great test for the whole team.
"The idea being to" favor continuity in relation to the Tournament.
There is a real reason: we have to go fast.
The Welsh had 15 days of preparation.
We will have a week and a big training day which will be Wednesday.
"
“Even if we only have one week of preparation before Wales, honestly, we are ready. We have to manage to transmit our good energy to the players, that's the issue this week ”
Raphael Ibanez
The pandemic has forced the French staff to adapt.
Forced and forcing.
“We had to think about the situation, which is exceptional for everyone.
We tried first of all never to break the link with the players throughout these long weeks without being able to see them physically, without being able to experience great emotions with them.
We have increased the number of videoconferences with technical support.
We are ready even if we only have one week of preparation before Wales, honestly, we are ready.
We have to manage to transmit our good energy to the players, that's what is at stake this week, ”says Raphaël Ibanez.
Response to Urios' criticisms
The manager of the Blues also returned to the severe criticism of Christophe Urios, the manager of Bordeaux-Bègles, who had sharply turned on the staff of the Blues who have 42 players to prepare.
“Obviously we want the France team to be the best, but I don't want anyone to piss me off at home, vituperated the Girondin technician.
When you ask for 42 players, if you take six or seven guys on a two-month tour and they go all over the world, you screw the fuck up.
"Calm response from Ibanez on
RMC
:" You should know that 42 players, it is not a fad since at the UBB, in Clermont, and in all the professional clubs of very high level, the teams train with 42 or even 45 players.
So it is a real necessity to meet the demands of very high level rugby.
At the international level, we also need these 42 players.
"And to recall that, to make the number," of the players of the team of France to 7 and certain great hopes in under 20 years will come to supplement our device of the 31 selected players ".
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